Children's Home run by HAVEN CARE GROUP LIMITED in Staffordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC474179 1 SC474179 Registered provider: Haven Care Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children whose adverse childhood experiences can lead to them exhibiting complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager took up his post on 4 January 2021. However, he was not in day-to-day charge of the home until April 2021. He was registered with Ofsted on 15 April 2021. The registered manager has since resigned and is due to leave his role in October 2021. He does not hold a recognised management qualification relevant to children’s residential care.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 7 and 8 October 2020 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 23 October 2019

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC474179 2 Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/10/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 22/05/2019 Full Good 14/08/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC474179 3

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inadequate

At the last inspection, three children were living in the home. Since the last inspection, three children have moved into the home and five children have moved out. At the time of this inspection, there is one child living in the home.

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inadequate

There are significant omissions in the matching of children who come to live in the home. This was raised as a requirement at the last inspection and has not been addressed. It is not clear how staff propose to meet the needs of children who move into the home. Where gaps occur in staff’s knowledge, skills or experience, it is not clear what action managers will take to address these. As a result, managers are not able to demonstrate how their decision-making about children who come to live at the home promotes children’s safety and welfare.

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inadequate

Managers do not ensure that children’s plans are followed. For example, the child’s matching assessment states that regular team around the child (TAC) meetings will support both the child and the staff. However, no meetings have occurred during the two months of him living in the home. This omission significantly impacts the ability of staff to support the child effectively to achieve positive progress.

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inadequate

Staff do not ensure that children’s health plans are followed. For example, despite a need to address the child’s smoking, staff have yet to undertake the agreed plan of work. This inactivity fails to promote the child’s health and well-being.

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inadequate

Individual work with the child is poor. Staff are required to undertake work on a range of sensitive subjects without the training or skills to do so. This work is inadequately resourced and, as a result, is limited in its impact. In addition, when managers identify further work is required, there is no oversight to ensure that this takes place. These are frequently missed opportunities to support the child’s development and progress.

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inadequate

The children’s guide is out of date. This leaves children without accurate information about what to expect when they come to live in the home.

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inadequate

Despite the shortfalls, the child is making progress in some areas. His attendance at school has increased. Staff are positive about his achievements and recognise these with him. As a result, the child is aspirational for his future.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Managers fail to ensure that staff complete accurate risk assessments that reflect all known risks for the child. In addition, when new risks emerge, the impact of these is not considered. For example, despite the child being reported missing three times in a month, the risk rating remained at the lowest level, without a clear plan of how Inspection report children’s home: SC474179 4 staff were responding to this new behaviour. In addition, managers do not have a system in place to ensure that all staff are aware of and understand changes to risk management plans. As a result, responses to risk are inconsistent.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Managers have failed to ensure that the child has been offered an independent return home interview on his return home. This prevents staff from understanding and learning from this new behaviour to promote his safety.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Staff do not understand their responsibilities in reporting concerns that arise. This prevents the effective sharing of key information with managers and relevant professionals. For example, staff have failed to respond to a complaint by the child about a member of staff or to report that the child was having contact with someone who he was not permitted to see.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Staff are not consistent in their responses to the child’s behaviour. This results in confusion for the child about what is and is not acceptable behaviour.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Management oversight of health and safety is inadequate. Managers have failed to follow up actions from specialist health and safety assessments of the home. For example, despite having an independent legionella assessment undertaken at the property over 12 months ago, managers have not followed up on the actions that were identified. This fails to protect children’s welfare as managers are not assured that children live in a safe environment. Ofsted has required the provider to take urgent action to remedy this shortfall.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Managers have made significant omissions in the safe recruitment of staff. For example, managers permitted a member of staff to start work without any references being in place. This omission was not identified for seven months. This lack of management scrutiny places children at risk from people who may not be suitable to work in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management arrangements at the home have been inconsistent over an extended period of time. The current registered manager is the eighth manager of the home in seven years. He has submitted his resignation. This inconsistency in leadership has severely impacted the quality of the management of this home and has limited the capacity for improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have not taken sufficient action to meet any of the four requirements raised at the last inspection. This shows that managers are not using the learning from inspection to bring about positive change. As a result of this inspection, Ofsted has raised 13 requirements in total, three of which are the subject of compliance notices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A high turnover of staff means that children do not receive consistent care. Half of the staff have left since the last inspection. Staff told the inspectors that inconsistent management has left them feeling deskilled and morale is low. Despite this, the Inspection report children’s home: SC474179 5 remaining staff and the new staff are committed to the child who lives in the home and want to support him to achieve his potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have failed to ensure that there is a statement of purpose in place that clearly defines the needs of the children who the home proposes to care for. This has significantly impeded managers in ensuring that the staff are well equipped to provide individualised care that meets children’s complex needs. For example, staff have not received any training regarding drug and alcohol misuse, domestic violence, bereavement and loss or knife crime. This is despite these all being known needs of the child. This leaves staff ill prepared to meet the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Arrangements for staff to receive supervision have improved. This means that staff now receive regular supervision. However, these improvements have not been extended to the registered manager. As a result, the registered manager has limited opportunities to reflect on, to share and to escalate concerns to senior managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers do not demonstrate effective oversight of information in the home. For example, inconsistent recording of hours worked by staff means that these staff rosters do not provide a reliable source of information as to who has worked in the home and when. This includes a lack of information about when the registered manager is at the home. As a result, such records cannot be relied upon in the case of an allegation or complaint.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have received complaints about the service. However, they were unable to provide any evidence of these matters to the inspector. As a result, it is not clear how complaints are responded to or that learning arising from these is taken on board.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Monitoring systems to support oversight of the quality of care are poor. Managers have failed to respond to shortfalls in relation to the quality of the independent visitor’s reporting in a timely way. In addition, the manager’s quality of care reporting fails to consider feedback from staff. These omissions mean that managers are unable to identify and respond to emerging concerns regarding standards of care in the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC474179 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that the children’s guide is up to date and provides an accurate reflection of the care that is provided 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to— 30 September Inspection report children’s home: SC474179 7 achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that staff undertake work in line with children’s individual plans.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(v)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that individual work with children is undertaken as specified in their care and placement plans, that staff have the necessary training and resources to enable them to undertake individual work with children and that staff understand the importance of consistency in the management of children’s behaviour and demonstrate this in their day-to-day practice. 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 5 September 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC474179 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that children’s risk assessments contain information about all known risks, are reviewed and updated to reflect new and emerging risks and the impact of these on risk management plans is reflected. It also refers to ensuring that staff understand reporting processes for safeguarding concerns. In addition, ensure all outstanding health and safety matters identified at inspection are addressed within this time frame and evidence is provided to Ofsted to confirm the actions taken.

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Requirement Due date

*The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and 5 September 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC474179 9 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(e)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that staff receive training to reflect the core tasks of their role and the individual needs of the children who live in the home, taking action to increase staff retention at the home and that the quality and effectiveness of monitoring and oversight improves.

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Requirement Due date

*The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that children are only admitted to the home when it is clear that they match the profile of the statement of purpose and that staff can meet their individual needs. 5 September 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that the home’s statement of purpose clearly defines the range of needs of the children for whom it is intended to provide care. 5 September 2021

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or 5 September 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC474179 10 if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that staff only come to work in the home when managers are assured that full checks have been undertaken and that staff are safe to do so.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that the registered manager is supervised regularly in line with the home’s statement of purpose. 30 September

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to maintaining a record of actual hours worked that include everyone who is employed in the home, including the registered manager. 30 September Inspection report children’s home: SC474179 11 Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (1) (3))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that detailed records of complaints are maintained to enable management oversight. 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being. (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that where concerns arise regarding the standard of the independent person’s reporting, managers have in place a system to review and to identify necessary steps to achieve improvements in a timely way. 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (5)) 30 September Inspection report children’s home: SC474179 12 This particularly refers to ensuring that the manager’s systems for reviewing and reporting on the quality of care include feedback from all stakeholders.

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC474179 13

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Haven Care Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 6 Barberry Court, Parkway, Centrum One Hundred, Burton-on-Trent DE14 2UE

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Inspector

Tracey Coglan Greig, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC474179 14 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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